Vitamin D receptor polymorphisms and associated miRNAs in the development of breast cancer in African American women.

Breast cancer (BCa) is a prevalent form of cancer in women, exhibiting varying rates and distribution across different ethnic groups. Among these groups, African American (AA) women have the highest incidence of BCa and the lowest levels of Vitamin D (VD). Numerous studies have explored the connection between variations in the VDR gene and BCa risk, particularly in different populations, but research on the AA population remains limited.

Staphylococcus aureus SigS Induces Expression of a Regulatory Protein Pair That Modulates Its mRNA Stability.

SigS is the sole extracytoplasmic function sigma factor in Staphylococcus aureus and is necessary for virulence, immune evasion, and adaptation to toxic chemicals and environmental stressors. Despite the contribution of SigS to a myriad of critical phenotypes, the downstream effectors of SigS-dependent pathogenesis, immune evasion, and stress adaptation remain elusive. To address this knowledge gap, we analyzed the S.

Post-Transcriptional Regulation of RseA by Small RNAs RyhB and FnrS in .

RseA is the critical central regulator of the σ-dependent stress response in and other related bacteria. The synthesis of RseA is controlled at the transcriptional level by several promoters and transcriptional regulators, including σ itself at two σ-dependent promoters: and . The presence of these two independent polycistrons encoding is potentially redundant.

Ketamine interactions with gut-microbiota in rats: relevance to its antidepressant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Background: Appreciable evidence suggest that dysbiosis in microbiota, reflected in gut microbial imbalance plays a key role in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders including depression and inflammatory diseases. Recently, the antidepressant properties of ketamine have gained prominence due to its fast and long lasting effects. Additional uses for ketamine in inflammatory disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome have been suggested.

The Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Cpx envelope stress system contributes to transcriptional activation of rovM.

The Gram-negative enteropathogen Yersinia pseudotuberculosis possesses a number of regulatory systems that detect cell envelope damage caused by noxious extracytoplasmic stresses. The CpxA sensor kinase and CpxR response regulator two-component regulatory system is one such pathway. Active Cpx signalling upregulates various factors designed to repair and restore cell envelope integrity.

An essential cell division protein directly regulates FtsZ dynamics.

Binary fission has been well studied in rod-shaped bacteria, but the mechanisms underlying cell division in spherical bacteria are poorly understood. Rod-shaped bacteria harbor regulatory proteins that place and remodel the division machinery during cytokinesis. In the spherical human pathogen , we found that the essential protein GpsB localizes to mid-cell during cell division and co-constricts with the division machinery.

Low Vs. High Alcohol: Central Benefits Vs. Detriments.

The dose-dependent effects of alcohol, where the initial euphoric and stimulant effects initiated by the exposure to low ethanol levels can quickly lead to a deadly consequence are well established. Thus, high blood alcohol concentration (BAC), as seen in alcoholics, can cause significant damage to various organs. At low concentrations (e.

TrmL and TusA Are Necessary for rpoS and MiaA Is Required for hfq Expression in Escherichia coli.

Previous work demonstrated that efficient RNA Polymerase sigma S-subunit (RpoS) translation requires the N6-isopentenyladenosine i6A37 transfer RNA (tRNA) modification for UUX-Leu decoding. Here we investigate the effect of two additional tRNA modification systems on RpoS translation; the analysis was also extended to another High UUX-leucine codon (HULC) protein, Host Factor for phage Qβ (Hfq). One tRNA modification, the addition of the 2'-O-methylcytidine/uridine 34 (C/U34m) tRNA modification by tRNA (cytidine/uridine-2'O)-ribose methyltransferase L (TrmL), requires the presence of the ⁶-isopentenyladenosine 37 (i⁶A37) and therefore it seemed possible that the defect in RpoS translation in the absence of i⁶A37 prenyl transferase (MiaA) was in fact due to the inability to add the C/U34m modification to UUX-Leu tRNAs.

RpoS-dependent sRNA RgsA regulates Fis and AcpP in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

RgsA is a phylogenetically conserved small regulatory RNA (sRNA) in Pseudomonas species. This sRNA has been shown to be directly controlled by the major stationary phase and stress sigma factor σ (RpoS), and also indirectly regulated by the GacS/GacA two-component system. However, the role and the regulatory targets of this sRNA remain unclear.

The i6A37 tRNA modification is essential for proper decoding of UUX-Leucine codons during rpoS and iraP translation.

The translation of rpoS(σ(S)), the general stress/stationary phase sigma factor, is tightly regulated at the post-transcriptional level by several factors via mechanisms that are not clearly defined. One of these factors is MiaA, the enzyme necessary for the first step in theN(6)-isopentyl-2-thiomethyl adenosinemethyl adenosine 37 (ms(2)i(6)A37) tRNA modification. We tested the hypothesis that an elevated UUX-Leucine/total leucine codon ratio can be used to identify transcripts whose translation would be sensitive to loss of the MiaA-dependent modification.

Environmental Regulation of Yersinia Pathophysiology.

Hallmarks of Yersinia pathogenesis include the ability to form biofilms on surfaces, the ability to establish close contact with eukaryotic target cells and the ability to hijack eukaryotic cell signaling and take over control of strategic cellular processes. Many of these virulence traits are already well-described. However, of equal importance is knowledge of both confined and global regulatory networks that collaborate together to dictate spatial and temporal control of virulence gene expression.

The MiaA tRNA modification enzyme is necessary for robust RpoS expression in Escherichia coli.

The stationary phase/general stress response sigma factor RpoS (σ(S)) is necessary for adaptation and restoration of homeostasis in stationary phase. As a physiological consequence, its levels are tightly regulated at least at two levels. Multiple small regulatory RNA molecules modulate its translation, in a manner that is dependent on the RNA chaperone Hfq and the rpoS 5' untranslated region.

Staphylococcus aureus extracellular adherence protein contributes to biofilm formation in the presence of serum.

Staphylococcus aureus extracellular adherence protein (EAP) is secreted, but it can redock on the bacterial cell surface via neutral phosphatase (Nptase). EAP binds to certain blood proteins and to itself, and through these affinities, it contributes to adherence and aggregation. It has been demonstrated previously that EAP expression is iron regulated and it contributes to biofilm formation under iron-deplete conditions.

SigmaE regulates and is regulated by a small RNA in Escherichia coli.

RybB is a small, Hfq-binding noncoding RNA originally identified in a screen of conserved intergenic regions in Escherichia coli. Fusions of the rybB promoter to lacZ were used to screen plasmid genomic libraries and genomic transposon mutants for regulators of rybB expression. A number of plasmids, including some carrying rybB, negatively regulated the fusion.